Mixing it up.
Hiking, especially to the tops of mountains, is still my #1 activity (for now), but swimming is moving up the list as the years fly by. I started swimming again after retiring from teaching in the spring of 2024 – usually three days a week, logging 15-20 miles per month. It gives my 67 year-old legs a break from hiking, and provides great exercise for my upper body. Although the vast majority of my swims are in a 25 yard indoor pool, each of the past three summers I’ve participated in a 5K open water swimming race. In 2024 I did the “Swim the Fish” race in Whitefish Lake (Montana), in 2025 it was the 5K at the Big Sky State Games in Billings, and this summer I swam the “2026 Coeur d’Alene Crossing” in northern Idaho. Events like these give me a goal to focus on, and provide incentive to train.

What’s to like.
The Coeur d’Alene event is my favorite so far. Although participants no longer swim across Lake Coeur d’Alene, the out and back route in Wolf Lodge Bay was nice. Water in the bay seems to be calmer than bigger parts of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The other two races involved swimming into a lake and then doing 3-4 laps around an area marked by buoys – just not as interesting. The Whitefish and Couer d’Alene races both started from scenic beaches and had good particpation (dozens of swimmers), whereas the Billings event was held in the murky waters of Lake Elmo, and there were only 8 swimmers in the 5K event. The Couer d’Alene Crossing also had the best conditions – Air quality was good, the water temperature was in the 70s and fairly calm, it was sunny, and the air temperature was 65-70 F. Unfortunately, conditions were less than ideal at the Whitefish event in 2024 – cloudy, cool air temperature, cold choppy water. It was a real character-builder! For more about the Lake Coeur d’Alene event, check out the Photo Tour – Be sure to read the captions . . . Or continue reading to learn how I prepared for the race.

HIIT like a Norwegian.*
Another reason I enjoyed the Coeur d’Alene race is that I was simply better prepared to swim 5 Kilometers. My goal was to finish the race in 1 hour and 45 minutes, but I exceeded that by almost 10 minutes (1:35:23). Although every week is different (especially during summer), I shoot for hiking or trail running three times a week (3-5 miles per outing), strength training a couple times per week (30 minutes), and swimming three times a week (1.0-2.5 miles per swim). Once every week or so I do “high intensity interval training” (HIIT) during one of my swim sessions. My favorite HIIT workout is the “Norwegian 4 x 4”, which can be done while running, cycling, or swimming. It includes 4 repetitions of 4 minutes of high intensity running, cycling, or swimming, with 3 minutes of rest or very low intensity movement in between reps. For me that means swimming hard for 275 yards (freestyle), which takes me about 4 minutes. During the 3-minute break I swim Old English Backstroke slowly for 75 yards and then enjoy several seconds of rest before starting my next 275 yard high intensity swim. With a 300 yard warm-up and cool-down, the total for this HIIT session is 2,000 yards (1.1 miles). I’m happy with the results and plan to continue HIITing like a Norwegian long into the future.

*Important: Consult a doctor before starting a new fitness routine to ensure your body is ready for increased physical demands – especially if you have chronic conditions, take regular medications, or plan to jump into high-intensity workouts.

Below: This map marks hikes that have been featured on bigskywalker.com so far, including several in Glacier Park – Select full screen to expand, zoom in for more detail, or click on a marker for a link to the post.

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